José María Olazábal said it was “surprising” that Tom Watson had been chosen
as US Ryder Cup captain in light of his age. But the man who led Europe to
this year’s stunning triumph at Medinah also emphasised the 63-year-old
American’s natural leadership, arguing: “His hand is not going to tremble
when he makes decisions.”

The Spaniard said: “The age surprises me. Most of the time you try to get a captain who is close to the players, who is around them constantly, who knows them really well.”

It was the Olazábal-inspired victory in Chicago, engineering an extraordinary recovery from 10-4 down, which finally forced the PGA of America to break from the ‘buddy-buddy’ culture exemplified by Davis Love III and predecessor Corey Pavin.

Olazábal said of Watson, who captained the US to their last Ryder Cup triumph on European soil at the Belfry in 1993: “It might initially be a bit surprising, but on the other hand the Americans know that they have an experienced man, well respected by the players.

"Tom has all the elements. He has been in that role before, he has been a player at the Ryder Cup, so he has all the ingredients needed to do the job.

“For Gleneagles in 2014, he is a fantastic choice. Clearly he is going to appeal to the Scottish crowds, who respect Tom and everything he represents.

"He has achieved so much in his major career but look at the way he has been playing lately, too.

"He’s still scoring well, and he’s competitive regardless of his age. In that regard it’s a great appointment by the Americans.”

Asked whether Watson’s appointment put pressure on the European Tour to find a captain of major championship stature, Olazábal refused to commit.

He insisted he would be neutral in the search for his successor, now a straight fight between Darren Clarke and Paul McGinley, before the selection is made next month in Abu Dhabi.

“I’ve always said that, ultimately, it’s about how well the players perform,” he said. “You need to have a solid captain who will get the team together and draw the best from each guy. That’s it.”

Speaking here at the Royal Trophy, where he is Europe’s captain for a three-day match against Asia, Olazábal admitted that he has missed the team spirit that he forged during a remarkable week at Medinah.

“The beauty of the Ryder Cup lies in the camaraderie of the players, the relationships you build, the experiences you have within that week.

"That is something you miss when you go out and play as an individual. You cherish those moments, and that’s why the Ryder Cup has always been so special to me.”

But the 46 year-old, who could not be persuaded to assume the captaincy again, acknowledged he was ready to begin a fresh chapter in his life.

“You have to be, the Ryder Cup is over. In a few weeks’ time we will have found our next captain and it is his role, his business from then on.”